The Palestinian Maan News Agency reports that one of its editors was kidnapped Saturday in Bethlehem. Hafith Asakra was released unharmed after 12 hours by abductors who made an unusual demand:
They demanded to use his Ma’an password to post a fictitious news story, aimed at stirring up trouble between Ma’an and the Palestinian factions and security services.
He refused to give in to his abductors’ demands.
That’s more backbone than Britain’s National Union of Journalists mustered when Alan Johnston was kidnapped.
(Hat tip: Elder of Ziyon)
UPDATE November 26: See this Jerusalem Post update for more on Maan’s tensions and the problems of free journalism in the PA.
